What can you do when a valued client needs to drop your services because of current financial pressures? Senior executive leadership coach Bill Shirley, http://insearchofeagles.com , is experimenting with this creative solution. He made a clear agreement to pay it forward. But that’s not all. Bill offered his client a deal. He agreed to provide $1000 of his services completely free — under certain specified conditions. The conditions are:

• That his client also offer $1000 of her services free to two of her clients who are facing financial difficulties.
• That her clients who take advantage of her free services also pay it forward by each offering two people $1000 of their services free.
• That each person who benefits agrees to pass on the favor to two additional recipients.

Bill is making a bet that offering her free services will do at least two things. One, it will energize his client and affirm her self worth in the midst of her financial struggles. Two, that this will make her more attractive and her business will increase and she will be able to resume paying him his regular fees. Bill is calling this a reverse Ponzi scheme. He’s willing to gamble that the outcome will be positive. I am, too. I’m willing to try this scheme myself to see what happens. Are you?

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written by Laurie Weiss \\ tags: Business Communication, Coaching, Integrity, Managing Fear, Self-Management